Vehicular tank



I II 1 gr N II I II I -I I MI II II I I I I I June 20, 1939. I FIG.THWAITS r 2,163,387

VEHICULAR TANK I Filed Nov. 16, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June 20, 1939. G.THWAITS VEHICULAR TANK F lled Nov. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

June 20, 1939. F. e. THWAITS VEHICULAR TANK Filed Nov. 16, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet 15 iNVEN TOR! ATTORNEY- 5 construction of vehicular liquidstorage tanks sizes and shapes. Y 5 especially adapted to be transportedalong high- An additional specific object of the invention waysandordinary roads. is the provision of an improved vehicular-tank A generalobject of my present invention. is which is devoid of externalprojections of the the provision of an improved vehicular tankwhich t pen to resist normal transportation of 10 is simple and compact inconstruction, and which h h le at high spe d- Y l0 blage especiallyapplicable to semi-trailers and Fig. 6 is an ed fragmentary 110mm 7Patented June 20, 1939 v I l M Q I NITED STATES PATENT orrics vnmcuumTANK Frederick G. Thwalts, win-m, Wia, assignor to The Hell (10.,Milwaukee, ha, a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 16,1938,8erlal No. 111,039 5 Claims. (01. 220-71) My present inventionrelates in general to var- Still another specific object of theinvention ious improvements in the art of confining and is to providereenforcing structure for the interior of transporting fluids from placeto place, and of a tank or similar container, which can be utirelatesmore specifically to improvements in the lized to effectively reenforcetanks of different has maximum liquid confining capacity. I I These andotherobiects of my present inven- In the art of transporting liquids in'bulk over tion will be apparent from the following detailed the openhighways, it has heretofore been cusdescription. Y tomary to utilizeso-called semi-trailer tanks, A clear conception of embodiments ofthe'sev- 18 each comprisingashell usually having one or more eralfeatures constituting my l li improve- .1 partitions therein dividingthe same into segrement and of the'constr'uction ofvehicular tanks gatedliquid confining compartments, a carriage built in accordance with theinvention, maybe or frame upon which theshell is supported, rear, had byreferring to the drawings accompanying wheels permanently associatedwith the carrier and filmin a pm 1' th s-sp ifi a o w r frame, and afifth wheel member carried by the like reference charactersdesignatethe'same' or m front end of the frame and adapted fordetachsimilar parts in the various views. Y able cooperation with therear end of a traction Fig. l is aside elevation of an improvedtwovehicle or propelling truck. It is desirable to compartmentsemi-trailer tank having substam maintain the centerof gravity of such avehicu tially rectangular transverse cross-section, showlar tank whenloaded, as low as possible, and ing the rear supporting carriage thereofin dot- 25 the prior. supporting carriages were therefore and-dashlines, and also showingthe rear end of objectionable since theynecessitated material the tank propelling vehicle in dot-and-dash lines;limitation in tank capacity in order to retain the Fig. 2 is atransverse verticalsection through centers of gravity sufficiently closeto'the ground therear end of the tank of Fig. l,taken alo'ng level.While attempts have been made to elimthe line 2-9-1 and also showing therear support- 80 inate the under carriages by reenforcing -the ingcarriagein dot-anddash lines; tanks themselves suiilciently to sustainthe beam Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section through loads, the priorreenforced tanks have either been the front end of the tank, taken alongtheline extremely complicated and hence diflicult and 3-3 of Fig. 1; Icostly to produce, or they were too heavy and Fig.4 is a'top viewof theimproved semi-trailer u did not effectively resist the beam loads duringtank; commercial use of the assemblages. v Fig. 5 is a rear view .of thetank assemblage, The present invention therefore contemplates alsoshowing the rear supporting carriage in .dotprovision of an improvedframeless tank .assemv and-dash lines;

.having maximum capacity, low center ofgravity', section taken? throughthe tank reenforcement' and adapted to effectively resist beam loads andalong therline 1-4 of 1' 'lg.-'l;- 1

other stresses to which the;- assemblage may be vFig. 7 is asimilarlyenla'rged'horizontal section subjected during normal use. taken throughthe tank reenforcement along the. Another object of the presentinvention is toline 1- -1- 'of Fig; 1; provide a new-and useful portabletank structure" Fig. 8 is another-fragmentary horizontal sec- ..Y whichcan be readilyco'nstmcted and assembled, tion taken through the tankwall alcngtheline Y and which isn'exceptionallydurable and capable 8-!of Fig. 1; I 4 -of resisting deflection or-distortion both when 9 is anenlarged fragmentary-transverse loaded or empty- 1,verticalsection-taken through the upper portion w A further specificobject of-the invention is Y of -the tank at one of the manholes; Y theprovision of a simple but effective internal revI 'lg. 10 is asectionalside elevation of an-- ---enforcement for-a especially foratank "other type of improved three-compartmentsemihaving portionsof'dliferent cross-sectionalj area trailer tankhavingellipticaltransverse cross- Y at the front and rear ends thereof.Y section, likewise showing the'rear supporting carriage and the rearend of the propelling vehicle in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 11 is a. transverse vertical section through I the rear end of the'tank of Fig. 10, taken along the line Ii--ll and also showing the rearcarriage in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 12 is a transverse vertical section through the front end of thetank f Fig. 10, taken along the line i2--|2; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged. fragmentary section taken horizontally throughone of the partitions.

While the invention has been embodied in several specific types ofsemi-trailer tank vehicles having partitions dividing the same intocompartments, it is not the intent to unnecessarily restrict the scopeby virtue of such specific carriage H of relatively standardconstruction having springs and wheels I! for supporting the rear end ofthe tank; and a fifth wheel member I6 secured to the underside of thereduced portion II, the member ll being detachably cooperable withanother fifth wheel member I! mounted upon the rear end of a propellingvehicle or tractor l8.

' Theztank shells M, II are preferably formed of one or more sheets ofrelatively light sheet metal, and the rear sheet of the front shell idmay berigidly attached to the front sheet of the rear shell II by meansof an internal connecting plate-l9 which overlaps the shell ends and iswelded thereto as shown in Fig. 8, to thereby provide a smooth externalsurface atthe joint. In shorter tanks, only a single shell sheet may beused, and in longer tanks. more than two alined sections or parts may beutilized to form the shell body; and the interior of the tank may bedivided into segregated liquid confining compartments 2|,.by means ofone or more transverse double dished partitions 2| welded or 3 otherwisefirmly attached within the main shells,

- lower plate 22 and'the foremost end of the front These partitions 2|are preferably formed of dished plates separated from each other by aslight space which maybe provided'with a drain for detecting leakagepast either of the partition plates, and the partitions 2| arepreferably reenforced with vertical channels 2| rigidly at-" tached-tothe dished side thereof as shown in Figs. 1, land 4. The bottom of thereduced portion i2 may be enclosed by means of a curved 'shell II issealed by a laterally curved front end head 22. while the rearmost endof the-rear shell II is likewise s tlr' enclosed by a laterally 2| andwith alower'cutlet of dispensing opening 2'. Itistobenoted thattheoffset II and.

the'heads 2|,'2| are curved only in a direction transversely of thetank, thereby facilitating manufacture by-permitting these plates to berolled into shape, and the curved transverse plates formingthese-elements may likewise be finally welded in place;

The improved reenforcements for strengthening the tank so as to resistdistortion of all kinds, and for enabling the tank assemblage toeffectively snstainbeaxn loads. are of a varied nature andare alsopreferably formed of sheet metal and of standard structural plates andbars, being welded in place in the final assemblage. Extend-. ingthroughout the lengths of the shells II, II

and rigidly attached to the upper outer portions thereof, is .,anexternal inverted U-shaped beam element 21 of relatively low height butof considerable width, this element 21 providing a cat walk along thetop of the tank and having reenforcing thimbles 2| for receiving theclosure covers secured thereto at the manholes 2| as shown in Fig. 9.The beam element 21 provides a longitudinal box section beam forreenforcing the top of the tank. and the bottom of the enlarged rearportion of the tank is provided with one or more, external box beams 2|extendiril from the offset i3 tothe extreme end of the lower portion ofthe shell II. The external reenforcing beams 29 are rigidly welded orotherwise attached to the lowerexterior portions of the shells III, IIand have their front ends enclosed; and the rear open ends of thesebeams are normally exposed to the interior of a rear compartment formedby an end reenforcing and protecting casing 3| having a door ii forpermitting insertion of a dispensing hose or the like within the beams29 and for also permitting access to v the ,rear tool storagecompartment formed by the intervening dispensing openings 2|, or theymay be merged into a single beam. The opposite sides of the shells II,II are moreover provided with longitudinal external side reenforcements32 of channel-section extending throughoutthe tank length, and formingside aprons at the reduced forwardportion l2 of the tank for concealingand protecting the fifth wheel member N. The rear ends of the sidereenforcements .22- merge into the rear fenders 2|, and a bumper 3| maybe attached to the beams 2| between the fenders II and beneath the rearcasing wherever necessary or desirable. Adjacent the rear carriage II,the interior of the rear-shell ll is provided with two laterally'specedchannel beams whi may be rigidly attached to a retainer plate 2| whichsnugly fits and is firmly attached to the inner surface of the II, andthe portions of the beams ll n the tank axis, may be rigidlyinterconnected by spaced.

parallelplates 8 1 as clearly shown in Fig.1. Thisassemblage providesatransverse'double boasectionbeamunitwhichmaybea-embledoutside. andsubsequently inserted and attached within the previously mined shell:mid'the lowerendsofachbeamflmaybeconnpciad'bymeansofaplatetlwhieh'isspacedfnmthebottomofthetanksbelleuilidentlytoeveldob' structiontodrainageofthelimdd.ue ermine.

similar-annular beam units comprising a'linglebeam||',aconnecterplate||,andashnrterre- 7 tainer plate It, shown inFig. '7, may also be applied to other local portions of the interior ofthe shells II; II wherever necessary or desirable,

and these singlebeanis '35 may be reenforced by means of verticaltubular struts I1" and plates 3'' as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.The ofiset portion of the front shell I! and the zone of the fifthwheel, are preferably reenforced by means of a series of these annulartransverse beam units The angle beams" may also extend along andforwardly beyond the offset I 3, and may be rigidly attached to thesuccessive beams 35' on the opposite sides of the connector plates 38.At the reduced forward portion of the tank, the beam retainer plates 36coact with and are attached to both the shell II and the lower plate 22as indicated in Fig. It which is of relativelystandard construction,- isattached to the plate 22 adjacent the two foremost transverse internalreenforcing units which are stiffened by the struts 31' and the plates38'.

Referring more particularly to Figs." 10 to 13 inclusive of thedrawings, theimproved vehicular tank assemblage therein illustrated,comprises in general front and rearlongitudinally alined outer shellsll, 42 having elliptical transverse crosssection and being provided witha forward portion 43 of reduced height; arear truck or carriage ithaving .the usual springs and wheels 45 for normally supporting therearend of the tank; a fifth wheel member 4 secured to the bottom of thereduced portion 43 and being detachably cooperable with another fifthwheel member 41' mounted upon the rear end of a propelling vehicle- II;and an auxiliary supporting carriage 4| for sustainingthe tank inhorizontal position when the vehicle lllis removed from the assemblage.i

In this modification the tank is relatively large and the shells ll, 42are therefore composed of several sheets of metal interconnected so asto provide a smooth exterior. The interior of the modified tank isdivided into three compartments by means of two transverse double dishedpartitions l!- each of which is reenforced and stiffened iii) by aseries of vertical channels ll welded to the concave side of thepartition 40 as shown in detail in Fig. 13. The'part'itions II areotherwise formed as previously described and are welded or otherwiserigidly attached to the adjacent shells. The top of the modified tankmay also be reenforced by a cat-walk II and may be provided with theusual manholes for permitting access to the several compartments; andthe bottom of the rearsection or shell-l2 may be provided with a boxsection. reenforcing member I! to which the rear wheels ll andtheauxiliary carriage ll maybe attached in' an obvious manner. The frontand rear ends :of the modified tank'assemblage are also provided withclosure heads '3, '4 respectively, and the bottom of each tankcompartment will obviously be provided with the usual liquid dispensingopenings and pipes, not

- shown.

The interior of this modified tank assemblage besides being reenforcedby-the partitions ll and by the II, is additionally reenforced 3; andthe fifth wheel member.

andstrengthenedsoastoresistdistortion andto effectively sustain beamleads, by means of transverse reenforcements eachcomprising a substan-.tially continuous channel beam II shaped to snugly conform with theadiacent tank interior, and aseries of vertical tubular struts Itsecured to each beam II as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12.

' These reenforcements are preferably located at various localitiesthroughout the length of the tank, and may be assembled outside of theshells ll, 42 and subsequently inserted therein and welded thereto.These transverse reenforcements may also be additionally stiffened byapplying side plates 51 as in Fig. 12, and one of the stifieners ispreferably located closely adjacent to the offset at the rear end of thereduced. tank portion 43. The beams Il may be provided with suitabledrainage passages at the bottom of the tank, andthe sides of themodified tank assemblage may also be provided with reenforcements 32 asin the smaller tank previously described.

During manufacture of the present improved tank assemblages, theexternal plates may be cut,

to proper form androlled to the proper shape,-

and subsequently. edge welded. The partitions and reenforcing units maythen be constructed and assembled outside of-the tank so as to properlyfit within the shells, and these parts may be subsequently insertedthrough the open shell ends After being properly located within theshells, the partitions and internal .reenforcing units and plates may bewelded in place, whereupon the shell sectionsmay be united inan obviousman- .ner, and the end heads may-be finally applied to ithe tank. Theexternal-jreenforcing beam" elefi-ments and side reenforcements 32 maybe subsequently applied to substantially complete the tank assemblages,which-maythereafter be handled as units and mounteduponthe carriages andhave the fifth wheel members, the auxiliary carriage, the bumper and thefenders attached thereto. The vehicular tank when thus constructed andfinallyassembled, produces a tank' assemblage which willeflectivelfsustaln beam loads and other external and internal stresses,without utilimng a special undercarriage and without undesirablyelevating the center of gravity.

From the foregoing detailed description. it will be apparent that thepresent-invention provides an improved tank structure which is simple,compact and durable in construction and which is devoid or objectionableexternal projections which prevent streamlining and tend to resisttransportation thereof at high speed. The improved frameless trailerstructure is effectively reenforced both externally and internally, thelongitudinal reenforcements being disposed externally of the shell andthe internal braces extending transversely thereof. These reenforcementsmay be readily-constructed and easily positioned andapplied duringassembly of the structure, and in no manner interfere with the normaluse:of the assembly. By properly spacing the transverse. reenforcementsand reenforced partitions, undesirable deflection and distortion of the.

outer shellin any direction maybeposltively prevented, and the local.reenforcing'members 'ms-yalso be relieved of excessive stresses thusprom. ing a uniformly loaded elongated beam assembly.

The upper reenforcing beam also serves to protect 7 ,entire structuretherefore'be produced at u moderate cost. The assemblage also presents aneat streamline appearance, and obviously has large capacity consideringthe road space occupied. I

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction and'to the precise mode or assemblyherein shown and described, for various-modifications within the scopeof the. claims may .occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A vehicular tank comprising, an elongated shell having a downwardlyand rearwardly inclined rear end head, an inverted U-shaped beam memberrigidly attached to the top of said shell, a second u-shaped beam memberrigidly attached to the bottom of said shell, and a U-shaped casingsecured to the medial portion oi said end head and connecting the rearends of said members, said casing having a door for effecting access totheinterior said second beam member.

' 2. A vehicular tank comprising, an elongated shell having a rear endhead, an inverted U- shaped beam member rigidly attached to the topofsaid shell, a second U-shaped beam member rigidly attached to the bottomof said shell, -ands U-shaped casing spanning said head and connectingthe rear ends of said members, said casing having a door for effectingaccess to the interior 4 .10 or said second beam member.

35 the top of said shell, a second U-shaped beam 3. A vehicular tankcomprising, a horizontal elongated shell'ot greater width than heighthaving .an end closure head, an inverted U-shaped beam member attachedto andexten'ding' along member attached to and extending along thebottom of said shell, and a U-shaped casing spanning said head andconnecting the corresponding ends of said members, said casing having adoor to eflecting accessto the interior thereof. 4

4. A vehicular tank comprising, a horizontal elongated shell of greaterwidth than height, a transverse centrally concave partition spanning theinterior of said shell and having a continuous peripheral flangeextending along the interior of edge of said flange, said flange beingattached to the interior ofsaid shell.

5. A vehicular tank comprising, a horizontal elongated shell of greaterwidth than height,'a

U-shapedreeniorcing member secured to the interior of said shell to forman annular transverse tubular beam extending around the shell axis, aplurality of tubular struts having their ends rigidly attached to theupper and lower-portions of said member and spanning the shell interior,

said struts being disposed between the planes of the front and rearwalls of said member, and conhector plates rigidly attached to a wall orsaid reenforcing member and vertically spanning the opposite sideportions thereof. n

' mnnnmcx a.

